He managed to access the enclosure containing the attraction's three black-capped capuchin monkeys.

A court heard how on one occasion, the creatures were so traumatised by the intrusion they went into hiding inside the zoo for weeks, before they were finally tracked down and returned to their habitat.

Boothby's lawyer Chris Rosser explained his client had been drinking heavily before visiting the zoo and added the only witnesses to the break-ins "were monkeys".

He pled guilty to three counts of entering premises and two counts of wilful damage and was fined AU$1,000 (£652) and ordered to perform 150 hours of community service.